Family | A Joseph Quinn Story

Chapter 25

We were awake most of the night, due to getting used to having Jack with us now. My body is still sore and recovering, so when Anthony turned up, Joe helped me move around the ward for a while.

"Do you need to sit down, love?" He noticed my grip on his arm getting tighter as my legs began to give in. "Yeah." I said, catching my breath. We took one step at a time back to my bed, where Jack was ready for a feed.

I had a drink of water and got Jack latched on to my nipple as he took a gulp of milk. "It still feels like a dream." Joe said to Anthony and I. "He's so perfect. My handsome little grandson." I glanced over at Joe, who couldn't take his eyes off of me. The smile had never left his face, since Jack was born.

After Jack had a feed, he fell asleep again in my arms and the nurse came round to do her checks on me.
"How are you feeling this morning, love?"
"Sore and tired." I admitted.

"I know, it's difficult at first but your body will sort itself out. I bring good news anyway. We are getting yours and Jack's discharge papers ready so you can go home."

Joe and I let out a big sigh at the same time. "We've prescribed your medication for you to take twice a day for two weeks." I nodded in agreement. "I'll be back shortly with the papers."
We thanked her for the news and Anthony and Joe began packing up our things.

"I'll get dressed if you want to dress Jack, then our things can go in the car." I turned to Joe, who agreed.

He picked out some clean clothes and I waddled off to the bathroom to dress myself. I brought a clean maternity pad with aloe vera gel to help soothe the stinging sensation down there. The relief I instantly felt as it touched my skin.

I came back to see Jack in his car seat as the nurse had handed the discharge papers over. He looks so tiny and cute. Anthony carried the bags to Joe's car, leaving us to collect any other things we may have forgotten.

"Are we ready to go?" Anthony asked upon his return. "Yeah, ready to go home back to my own bed." I giggled. Joe carried Jack in the car seat while Anthony allowed me to link onto his arm to help me.
We took it slow and steady and I was thankful for his patience.

We got him clipped into the car and I stayed in the backseats next to him, singing him some lullabies. How did we managed to make such a cute little baby?

We drove home and I called mum to let her know. Jess was dying to see her brother again so they came over pretty quickly.
I was giving Jack some cuddles when they arrived and Jess ran into the living room, already being loud.

"Jess, darling. We can't get over excited and jumpy around Jack." Joe calmly told her.
"But why?"

"Because he's only a baby and he's fragile at the moment. We don't want to jump and accidentally hurt him. Plus, he's also sensitive to loud noises so we have to remember to stay quiet and not shout, ok princess?"

She nodded and sat down next to me, stroking his fine hair. I have two children now. Jess is almost six and I have a newborn. My life is crazy and moving so fast.

"Would you like a drink, Y/N?" Joe called from the kitchen. "Yeah, I'll have anything."
Since all Jack was doing was sleeping, Jess eventually started watching cartoons and I got the chance to walk Jack around the house, showing him each room.

I know he can't see or understand anything yet but it's a way of bonding and it'll make me happy then to just sit around and feed him.

*Joe's POV

I've been texting friends and other family members since getting back, sharing the wonderful news about our son. Jess had settled down and was focused on the cartoons playing and Y/N was somewhere with Jack. I went to go investigate their whereabouts.